By way of introduction to the subject invention, reference is made to commonly-assigned Pat. No. 5,429,284. This patent discloses a garment hanger comprised of a one-piece body having a hook portion for the receipt of a display rod, a central portion depending from the hook portion and having first and second openings therein, and a lower portion defining a fold line segment depending from the central portion with a third opening disposed in the fold line segment and a flap segment depending from the fold line segment. The central portion and the flap segment define coactive structure for retaining the flap segment against the central portion on folding of the flap segment about the fold line segment. The coactive structure is preferably comprised of first and second projections on the flap segment adjacent respective lateral margins thereof and first and second latching openings in the central portion adjacent respective lateral margins thereof.
In use of the hanger, with the flap segment unfolded, a garment, such as a tie, is looped through the first and second openings and then passed through the third opening. The flap is now folded against the garment and latched to the central portion.
By way of further introduction to the subject invention, reference is made to commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,378, which discloses a garment hanger comprised of a one-piece body having a hook portion for the receipt of a display rod, a central portion depending from the hook portion, the body defining in the central portion an opening therethrough and a garment support member disposed in the opening and movable relative to the body and a lower portion defining a fold line segment depending from the central portion and a flap segment depending from the fold line segment, the central portion, the fold line segment and the flap segment jointly defining a slot in the body which opens into a margin of the body.
The central portion and the flap segment define coactive means for retaining the flap segment against the central portion on folding of the flap segment about the fold line segment.
The fold line segment is disposed contiguously with an interior end of the slot and provides cantilever support for the flap segment.
Further background to the subject invention is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,494 and 5,452,828, both of which disclose hanger assemblies wherein structure defining a compartment for a promotional article is hung jointly with the article to be sold.
In the '494 patent, there is provided a hanger composite including a first hanger having a hook portion for releasable securement to a display rod and an elongate foldable tail portion, the tail portion defining a latching opening therethrough and a projection extending outwardly of the tail portion to a given extent for latching disposition in the latching opening, and a second hanger assembled with the first hanger and defining a compartment for containment of an article, the second hanger having an opening therethrough configured complementally with the tail portion of the first hanger and enabling the assembly of the first and second hangers.
In the '828 patent, there is provided a display assembly including a belt having a buckle, a belt blank secured with the buckle and a retaining member secured with the belt blank adjacent the buckle for retaining a portion of the belt blank issuing from the buckle upon belt buckling and a hanger having a hook portion disposed on the belt retaining member, the hook portion defining locking structure for capturing the belt retaining member in the hook portion, and a compartment portion depending from the hook portion, the compartment being adapted for containment of an article to be marketed with the belt.